Locals encouraged to swap, share, donate

Published:14:07Monday 26 January 2015

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Deesiders and Donsiders are being encouraged to take part in a new national week to promote swapping, sharing and donating.

Pass it on Week will take place from March 7-15 2015, during which Aberdeenshire residents are urged to pass on items they no longer want to someone else who could use them, rather than throwing them away.

Pass it on Week hopes to see people donating items to charity, swapping things with friends and giving second hand goods a try in a bid to to minimise the amount of re-usable materials sent to landfill.

Zero Waste Scotland is also encouraging individuals, businesses, community groups, schools, colleges and charity and re-use shops to organise events such as swap shops, clothes swaps, repair workshops and upcycling sessions to help spread the word and give people a chance to get involved.

A huge range of materials are available on www.passitonweek.com to help anyone interested in organising an event or wanting to find out more about the week and what’s happening.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland said: “Pass it on Week is all about getting the message out that if you’ve finished with something, then someone else will be able to make use of it, so rather than binning it, please pass it on.

“The great thing is that there are loads of fun and social ways to do this. Swap shops are a great way to have a clear out and pick up things for free. Clothes swaps are a fun way to refresh your wardrobe, whether you’ve changed size and need to trade things that no longer fit, or want to swap some ill-advised impulse buys for things that are more your style.

“There will be events happening across the country, so if you want to organise one yourself, or find one to attend, go to passitonweek.com to find out more.”

Easy ways to get involved include donating items such as CDs, clothes and books to charity shops in the local area. To recycle larger goods, please contact the National re-use phone line on 0800 0665 820, where a free pick-up can be arranged to send the item to a local re-use organisation.